A new study published in The Lancet has found that exposure to Depakote may directly reduce a child’s IQ by the age of 6. The study looked at mothers who took the antiepileptic drug during pregnancy and exposed their child to valproate, the active ingredient in Depakote. read more »

The U.S. Justice Department will not pursue civil allegations against Abbott Laboratories Chief Executive Miles D. White. Mr. White was accused of “unlawful conduct” and benefiting financially from Abbott’s improper promotion of the drug Depakote. read more »

Abbott Laboratories’ settlement with the United States Justice Department was the third largest ever by a drug company and the largest ever involving only one drug. The off-label marketing Depakote settlement totaled more than $1.6 billion and required Abbott to plead guilty to a misdemeanor misbranding charge. read more »

The manufacturer of Depakote has agreed to pay more than $1.6 billion to settle charges with the Department of Justice that it illegally marketed the anti-seizure drug for off-label uses, including dementia, schizophrenia and autism. Depakote has only been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat epilepsy, migraines and bipolar disorder. read more »

The manufacturer of Depakote has agreed to pay more than $1.6 billion to settle charges with the Department of Justice that it illegally marketed the anti-seizure drug for off-label uses, including dementia, schizophrenia and autism. Depakote has only been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat epilepsy, migraines and bipolar disorder. read more »

A Florida mother has filed a Depakote lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturer after her son Christian was born with a birth defect. Keona Clay alleges that Abbott Laboratories’ epilepsy drug caused her son to be born with hypospadia—a birth defect in which the urethra develops abnormally. read more »

An Illinois woman has filed a Depakote lawsuit after her child was born with severe birth defects that she alleges were caused by the drug. Rhealyn Alexander states that Abbott Laboratories—the manufacturer of Depakote—failed to properly warn patients that using the drug during pregnancy could increase their risk of giving birth to a child with birth defects. read more »

The attorneys general in eight states have formed a committee to investigate whether marketing practices for the anti-seizure drug Depakote violated their states’ consumer protection laws. The investigative committee members include attorneys general from Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Illinois and Texas. read more »

The Food and Drug Administration is updating product labels for Depakote and other drugs containing valproate to include stronger warnings about the increased risk of birth defects. The labels will include information about the risk of severe birth defects associated with Depakote, including neural tube defects. read more »

Dozens of parents have filed Depakote lawsuits against the drug’s manufacturer after their children were born with neural tube defects or other problems. The lawsuit alleges that Abbott Laboratories failed to properly warn consumers about the increased risks of birth defects in mother who take Depakote while pregnant. read more »